Phyo Zeya Thaw (; , also referred to as Zeya Thaw (; ; 26 March 1981 – 23 July 2022) was a Burmese
politician
A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...
and
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
recording
artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...
who was
detained and
executed
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence (law), sentence ordering that an offender b ...
due to the perceived anti-government messages in his lyrics.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
designated him as a
prisoner of conscience
A prisoner of conscience (POC) is anyone imprisoned because of their race, sexual orientation, religion, or political views. The term also refers to those who have been imprisoned or persecuted for the nonviolent expression of their conscienti ...
.
He served as a member of
Pyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw (, ; House of Representatives) is the ''de jure'' lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Myanmar (Burma). It consists of 440 members, of which 330 are directly elected through the first-past-the ...
, the Lower House of the Burmese parliament. Phyo Zeya Thaw, alongside
opposition leader
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...
and
State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi (born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. She served as State Counsellor of Myanmar and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Myanmar), Ministe ...
, was elected to the lower house on 1 April 2012.
In November 2021 Phyo Zeya Thaw was arrested by the
Myanmar military junta and was
sentenced to death
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
in January 2022. In early June 2022, the junta announced that his
execution
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in ...
was imminent. On 23 July 2022, Phyo Zeya Thaw and three other pro-
democracy
Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...
activists
Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...
, including
Kyaw Min Yu (Ko Jimmy), were
executed
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence (law), sentence ordering that an offender b ...
.
Early life and education
Phyo Zeya Thaw was born on 26 March 1981 in
Yangon
Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...
,
Myanmar
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
to
Mya Thaw, a former
rector and his wife Khin Win May, a
dentist
A dentist, also known as a dental doctor, dental physician, dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry, the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. The dentist's supporting team aids in provi ...
. He attended high school at
Basic Education High School No. 6 Botahtaung (
BEHS No. 6 Botahtaung). He enrolled at the
University of Pharmacy, Mandalay in 1999, then switched to distance education at the
Yadanabon University in 2000, and graduated with
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
(
B.A), (English) in 2003.
Hip hop career
In 2000, Phyo Zeya Thaw's band
Acid
An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton (i.e. Hydron, hydrogen cation, H+), known as a Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory, Brønsted–Lowry acid, or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis ...
released Myanmar's first hip-hop album. Despite predictions of failure by many in the Burmese music industry, the album, ''Beginning'', remained in the number one position of the Burmese charts for more than two months.
A
Democratic Voice of Burma
The Democratic Voice of Burma (, abbreviated DVB) is one of Myanmar's largest independent media organisations. DVB was founded as a non-profit media organization based in Oslo, Norway and Chiang Mai, Thailand. Run by Burmese expatriates, it m ...
reporter described his music as blending a "combative, angry style with indigenous poeticism".
The band's repertoire has been said to contain many "thinly veiled attacks on the regime". ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' stated that while the band "focused on the mundane, their lyrics inevitably touched on the hardships of life in Burma, drawing them into dangerous territory."
Phyo Zeya Thaw also became known early on for his social activism. At one concert, he teamed with poets
Saw Wai and Aung Way to raise money for a charity for
HIV-positive
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
orphans founded by the comedian
Zarganar
Maung Thura "Zarganar" (also called Zaganar, ; also Zargana, ); born 27 January 1961) is a popular Burmese comedian, film actor, and director as well as a fierce critic and often political prisoner of the Burmese military government. Known fo ...
. Along with fellow rapper Nge Nge, he also visited
Zarganar
Maung Thura "Zarganar" (also called Zaganar, ; also Zargana, ); born 27 January 1961) is a popular Burmese comedian, film actor, and director as well as a fierce critic and often political prisoner of the Burmese military government. Known fo ...
's orphanages to help teach English to the children.
Generation Wave activism and arrest
Phyo Zeya Thaw was one of four founding members of
Generation Wave
Generation Wave () is a Burmese pro-democracy youth movement founded by Min Yan Naing @ Win Htut, Moe Thwe, hip-hop star Phyo Zeya Thaw, and Aung Zay Phyo. This movement emerged alongside a collection of pro-democracy groups following the 2007 S ...
, a youth movement opposed to the
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council ( ; abbreviated SPDC or , ) was the official name of the Military dictatorship, military government of Burma (Myanmar) which, in 1997, succeeded the State Law and Order Restoration Council (; abbrevi ...
(
SPDP), Myanmar's military rulers.
The group was founded on 9 October 2007, following the anti-government protests popularly known as the
Saffron Revolution
The Saffron Revolution (; ) was a series of economic and political protests and demonstrations that took place during August, September, and October 2007 in Myanmar. The protests were triggered by the decision of the national military govern ...
, and used
graffiti
Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...
and pamphlets to spread pro-democracy messages.
He reportedly developed one of the group's more widespread campaigns,
bumper stickers
A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker designed to be attached to the rear of a car or truck, often on the bumper. They are commonly sized at around and are typically made of PVC.
Bumper stickers serve various purposes, including p ...
reading "Change New Government" to apply to cars carrying "CNG" stickers (for "
compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a fuel gas mainly composed of methane (CH4), compressed to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure. It is stored and distributed in hard containers at a pressure of , usually in ...
").
The group also circulated anti-government films, including ''
Rambo
Rambo may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
*John Rambo, the main character from the ''Rambo'' franchise
* Mary Rambo, female character in '' Invisible Man''
Films
* ''Rambo'' (franchise), starring Sylvester St ...
'',
in which the titular character battles
Tatmadaw
The Tatmadaw, also known as the Sit-Tat, is the armed forces of Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. Auxiliary services include ...
(Myanmar military) soldiers in
Karen State
Kayin State (, ; ; , ), formerly known as Karen State, is a state of Myanmar. The capital city is Hpa-An, also spelled Pa-An.
The terrain of the state is mountainous; with the Dawna Range running along the state in a NNW–SSE direction, and ...
. The film had been banned by the government for portraying the
SPDC and its
soldiers
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word ...
in a negative light.
As of February 2010, about thirty members of the group had been imprisoned, including Phyo Zeya Thaw, who was arrested at a Yangon restaurant with friends on 12 March 2008.
In April, Phyo Zeya Thaw's Acid co-founder
Yan Yan Chan was also arrested.
Trial and imprisonment
Phyo Zeya Thaw was allegedly beaten during his interrogation.
On 20 November 2008, he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for breaking State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 6/88,
"illegal organizing under the Unlawful Association Act".
Amnesty International described this statute as "a vaguely worded law whose sweeping provisions can be interpreted as making it illegal to set up any kind of organization".
He was given an additional year's imprisonment for possession of foreign currency, as he had been carrying approximately $20 USD in Thai
baht
The baht (; , ; currency sign, sign: ฿; ISO 4217, code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). Prior to decimalisation, the baht was divided into eight ''fueang'' (, ), each of eight ''at'' (, ). The ...
,
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar (currency sign, sign: S$; ISO 4217, code: SGD) is the official currency of the Singapore, Republic of Singapore. It is divided into 100 cent (currency), cents (, , ). It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or ...
s, and Malaysian
ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit (; plural: ringgit; symbol: RM; currency code: MYR; Malay name: ''Ringgit Malaysia''; formerly the Malaysian dollar) is the currency of Malaysia. Issued by the Central Bank of Malaysia, it is divided into 100 cents ( M ...
at the time of his arrest.
Before his sentencing, he told reporters, "I feel sad, but not because of my imprisonment... I feel sad for the future of our country and people when I think about these facts. These words come from my heart. I wish to say to people, 'Have the courage to reject the things you don't like, and even if you don't dare to openly support the right thing, don't support the wrong thing.' "
His sentence was condemned by
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
, which named him a
prisoner of conscience
A prisoner of conscience (POC) is anyone imprisoned because of their race, sexual orientation, religion, or political views. The term also refers to those who have been imprisoned or persecuted for the nonviolent expression of their conscienti ...
and called for his immediate release.
Release and political career

He served out his sentence at
Kawthaung
Kawthaung (, ; ; ; , ; , ڤولودوا) is a border town located in the southernmost part of Myanmar, in the Tanintharyi Region. During British rule in Burma between 1824 and 1948, it was known as Victoria Point. As of 2021, it has a population o ...
prison and was released on 17 May 2011.
In August 2011, he was banned by the
Mingala Taungnyunt Township Police Station from performing at a stage show on
Kandawgyi Lake
Kandawgyi Lake ( ; ), is one of two major lakes in Yangon, Myanmar. Located east of the Shwedagon Pagoda, the lake is artificial; water from Inya Lake is channelled through a series of pipes to Kandawgyi Lake. It was created to provide a clean wa ...
's Hmyawzin Island.
He was a member of the
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy (, ; Abbreviation, abbr. NLD; Burmese abbr. ဒီချုပ်) is a deregistered liberal democratic political party in Myanmar (formerly Burma). It became the country's ruling party after a landslide victo ...
(
NLD). In the
2012 Myanmar by-elections
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to ...
, he contested the
Pobbathiri Township constituency for a seat in the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
, the country's
lower house
A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...
, and won the seat that
Tin Aung Myint Oo vacated in 2011.
In the
2015 Myanmar general election
General elections were held in Myanmar on 8 November 2015, with the National League for Democracy winning a supermajority of seats in the combined national parliament. Voting occurred in all constituencies, excluding seats appointed by the mili ...
, he contested the
Zabuthiri Township constituency and won a
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
seat.
Execution
In November 2021, he was arrested by the
Myanmar military junta and charged with planning attacks on junta targets, under the Counterterrorism Law and the Public Property Protection Act. In January 2022, he was sentenced to death. The junta announced that his execution was imminent in June 2022, and on 23 July 2022, it was announced that he had been executed alongside three others, including pro-democracy activist
Kyaw Min Yu also known as
Ko Jimmy.
Reactions
The organizations
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
and
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
reacted with shock. The Asia director of
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
, Elaine Pearson, spoke of politically motivated trials in Myanmar and pointed out that the families of the condemned had only learned of the executions through media reports.
The
German government
The Federal Government (, ; abbr. BReg) is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany and exercises executive power at the federal level. It consists of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. The fundamentals o ...
strongly condemned the first executions in Myanmar in more than three decades. The
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
Special Rapporteur on the situation of
human rights
Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
in
Myanmar
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
, Tom Andrews, tweeted that he was "shocked" by the news: "U.N. Member States must honor their lives by making this heinous act a turning point in the world's response to this crisis." On 28 July 2022, the
G7 foreign ministers of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, and the
United States of America
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...
, and the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
released a statement strongly condemning Phyo Zeya Thaw's execution by the military junta.
Personal life
Phyo Zeya Thaw was married to Thazin Nyunt Aung, a fellow rapper.
In popular culture
*In ''
End Game: Union Multiplayer'', Multiplayer
shooter game
Shooter video games, or shooters, are a subgenre of action video games where the focus is on the defeat of the character's enemies using ranged weapons given to the player. Usually these weapons are firearms or some other long-range weapons, a ...
from Shoot and Support, the character Zeya Thaw is created to honour Phyo Zeya Thaw as well as serve as a memorial for justice.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thaw, Zayar
1981 births
2022 deaths
People executed by Myanmar by hanging
Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Myanmar
Burmese democracy activists
Burmese prisoners and detainees
21st-century Burmese male singers
Burmese hip-hop musicians
National League for Democracy politicians
Musicians from Yangon
Members of Pyithu Hluttaw